Cholesteatoma

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Tympanic membrane

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Cholesteatoma

Definition:

Cholesteatoma is a type of cyst located in the middle ear.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cholesteatoma can be a congenital (present at birth) defect, but it more commonly occurs as a complication of chronic ear infection. Long-term inflammation and malfunction of the eustachian tube leads to chronic negative pressure in the middle ear.

This pulls a portion of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) inward, creating a sac or cyst that fills with old skin cells and other debris. The cyst becomes chronically infected. The cyst typically continues to fill with debris over time and may erode the mastoid bone and the bones of the middle ear.

Review Date: 7/8/2004
Reviewed By: Kevin Fung, MD, FRCS(C), Department of Otolaryngology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.